A week after mishap, AN-32 courier service to Port Blair resumes

A week after the Indian Air Force aircraft AN-32 mysteriously disappeared in the Bay of Bengal while on its way to Port Blair from Tambaram airbase, courier service between the two airports have resumed using the same AN-32 aircraft.On Friday, an AN-32 aircraft landed at the Port Blair air

A week after the Indian Air Force aircraft AN-32 mysteriously disappeared in the Bay of Bengal while on its way to Port Blair from Tambaram airbase, courier service between the two airports have resumed using the same AN-32 aircraft.

On Friday, an AN-32 aircraft landed at the Port Blair air strip and could be seen stationed at the hanger on Saturday morning as well. It could not be confirmed when the aircraft will once again leave for Tambaram.

However, IAF officials say the light transport aircraft which is used to courier goods and personnel on the route generally plies every alternate day in the week.

The resumption of the courier service using the AN-32 aircraft is crucial as many had raised doubts about the flight-worthyness of the Ukranian aircraft which was inducted in the IAF way back in 1984.

Soon after the incident, Air Chief Marshall Arup Raha had refuted such allegations terming the aircraft a proven 'workhorse' of the IAF.